Over seas

Shatter rattle panicked
Posh boots full of wet
leather gloves cunning hats won't save me now
bootless I've fallen into enemy territory*

I've gone ass-over-teacups
(Those were my grandmother's teacups!)
into the drink.

This is not my beautiful house,
This is not my beautiful life*

I'm over seas,
portless storming,
upperclass refugee
with furniture that won't fit in the hold
and cursing captains all round.
Anna had a lot of courage.*

My soul spells semaphores
at landmasses
clutching at metaphors
flotsam jetsam bits and bobs

with what dignity's left
surface paddling
trying for calm unruffled
I've got all the chances of a mallard
flagging down a passing dreadnought

My home's been stolen
all my clever storage solutions
gone to naught -
I'm filing wet papers.

I'm all at sea
This wind's run away with me.


* "Birthday" by M.T. Buckley
*"Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads
* "The King and I"

Bitter cold

Hugging sheds and fences
as though it had something to fear
the snow hides ice
all innocence
til we take an incautious step
and next find ourselves
on the ground
swearing and checking our limbs
for sprains.